1/113. A severely affected infant with absence of cysteinyl leukotrienes in cerebrospinal fluid: further evidence that leukotriene c4-synthesis deficiency is a new neurometabolic disorder.leukotrienes are potent oxygenated metabolites derived from the 5-lipoxygenase pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism. They comprise the cysteinyl leukotrienes (LTC4, LTD4, LTE4) and LTB4. The rate limiting step in the formation of cysteinyl leukotrienes is the conversion of LTA4 to LTC4 catalyzed by the enzyme LTC4 synthase. Recently, the first inborn error of leukotriene synthesis, LTC4-synthesis deficiency, has been identified in a patient with a fatal developmental syndrome. We report on an additional infant presenting with severe muscular hypotonia, symmetrical extension in the lower extremities and psychomotor retardation who died at the age of 6 months. Despite intensive investigations no specific diagnosis could be made. leukotrienes were subsequently analyzed in the cerebrospinal fluid. Concentrations of LTC4, LTD4 and LTE4 were below the detection limit (< 5 pg/ml) whereas LTB4 was found to be in the upper normal range. The absence of cysteinyl leukotrienes with normal LTB4 concentration in cerebrospinal fluid is unique and seems to be pathognomonic for LTC4-synthesis deficiency. Our patient most likely represents the second case described so far with this condition. This report provides further evidence that LTC4-synthesis deficiency represents a new neurometabolic disorder.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = metabolic disorder (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/113. Neonatal type of nonketotic hyperglycinemia.Two infants with the neonatal type of nonketotic hyperglycinemia that had manifested as early neonatal consciousness disturbance are presented. Transient hyperammonemia had been detected in both initially. High levels of glycine in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid disturb the nervous system, causing variable manifestations of this disease. Both cases were complicated by intracranial hemorrhage, which has never before been reported. After treatment with sodium benzoate and dextromethorphan, some neurologic improvement was observed, although the glycine levels did not lower. Recent clinical trials are reviewed, and because of the unfavorable outcomes, the special need for prenatal diagnosis is highlighted.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 6.460911217857E-6keywords = nervous system (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/113. Inborn defects of fatty acid oxidation: a preventable cause of SIDS.Inborn errors of fatty acid oxidation, including medium chain acyl CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) deficiency are readily detectable and treatable metabolic disorders in which recognition of symptoms is important. Symptoms occur when there is fasting, often associated with illness. If not diagnosed, these inborn errors of metabolism can result in sudden death classified as SIDS. These disorders can be diagnosed by ordering plasma or blood spot acylcarnitine profiles.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = metabolic disorder (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/113. L-2-hydroxyglutaric aciduria: two Japanese adult cases in one family.We report two adult Japanese sisters with L-2-hydroxy-glutaric aciduria (acidemia), both of whom were much older (aged 57, 47 years old) than previously reported patients (from neonate to 44 years old), and who presented with differing severity. magnetic resonance imaging revealed typical subcortical white matter lesions in both cases and showed brainstem atrophy and thickness of the calvarium in the elder sister. L-2-Hydroxyglutaric acid levels were increased in urine, plasma, and cerebrospinal fluid. These cases suggest that organic acid analysis is necessary even in elderly patients who seem to have neurodegenerative disorders.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 4.445066679147E-5keywords = brain (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/113. Clinical and brain 18fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomographic findings in ethylmalonic aciduria, a progressive neurometabolic disease.We report a 2-year-old boy with ethylmalonic aciduria and vasculopathy syndrome evaluated by 18fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomographic (18FDG PET) brain scan, with intense uptake of 18FDG in the caudate nucleus and putamen bilaterally but with no morphological changes on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A repeat 18FDG PET brain scan 1 year later showed a significant bilateral decreased uptake of glucose in the putamen and the head of the caudate nucleus as well as a decreased uptake in the frontal lobes. On MRI, there was atrophy and watershed infarcts in the basal ganglia, explaining the loss of glucose uptake. These results reflect a selective vulnerability of the basal ganglia, their functional derangement, and ultimate degeneration.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.00026670400074882keywords = brain (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/113. A case of hereditary ceruloplasmin deficiency with iron deposition in the brain associated with chorea, dementia, diabetes mellitus and retinal pigmentation: administration of fresh-frozen human plasma.We report a familial case of hereditary ceruloplasmin deficiency (HCD) showing an A-G transition in intron 6 of the ceruloplasmin gene. Clinical features consisted of chorea, cerebellar ataxia, dementia, diabetes mellitus, retinal pigmentation and iron deposition in the liver and brain without copper overload in those organs. The patient's children and siblings had similar laboratory results, but did not show any neurological abnormalities. She was medicated for diabetes mellitus at 43 years of age, and neurological signs appeared when she was 52 years old. The laboratory findings were anemia, low concentrations of iron and copper in serum and of copper in urine. ceruloplasmin was not detected in the serum. The iron and copper contents in the liver were 3,580 and 10 microg/g wet tissue, respectively. MRI of the brain showed iron deposition in the basal ganglia, dentate nucleus and thalamus. This case did not show any abnormal increase in copper in the blood and urine following CuSO(4)5H(2)O oral overloading test. Following the intravenous administration of commercially available fresh-frozen human plasma (FFP) containing ceruloplasmin, the serum iron content increased for several hours due to ferroxidase activity of ceruloplasmin. In the liver, the iron content decreased more with the combined intravenous administration of FFP and deferoxamine than with FFP administration alone. Her neurological symptoms improved following repetitive FFP treatment.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.00026670400074882keywords = brain (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/113. Clinical, fluorine-18 labeled 2-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET), MRI of the brain and biochemical observations in a patient with 4-hydroxybutyric aciduria; a progressive neurometabolic disease.We report a five-year-old boy with 4-hydroxybutyric aciduria. The child presented with global developmental delay, severe hypotonia and myoclonic seizures. The urine 4-hydroxybutyric acid was 1038 times that of normal, and other organic acids related to its further metabolism were also increased. electroencephalography showed findings indicative of cerebral dysfunction. However, other neurophysiological studies were normal. Clinical improvement was observed after the administration of vigabatrin and dextromethorphan. magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed cerebellar vermin atrophy and subtle white matter changes in the cerebral hemispheres. fluorine-18 labeled 2-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomographic (FDG PET) scan of the brain showed a marked decrease in the cerebellar metabolism, probably related to atrophy of cerebellar vermis and secondary cerebellar deafferentation. FDG PET scan is found to be of value in the understanding and assessment of brain functional alterations. It may be useful in monitoring and optimizing treatment strategies of this rare disease.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.00031115466754029keywords = brain (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/113. Adenylosuccinase deficiency: possibly underdiagnosed encephalopathy with variable clinical features.Adenylosuccinase deficiency is an autosomal recessive inherited defect of purine synthesis. In enzyme deficient patients, two normally undetectable compounds, succinylaminoimidazole carboxamide riboside and succinyladenosine, accumulate in urine, cerebrospinal fluid and, to a minor extent, in plasma. Analysing 150 highly selected urine specimens from patients with unidentified neurogenerative disorders we discovered the first two German cases of adenylosuccinase deficiency. The deficiency causes moderate to severe mental retardation, often accompanied by epileptic seizures and/or autistic features, and is occasionally associated with growth retardation and muscular hypotonia. Of the two German cases we present here, one patient fits into the clinical picture outlined by previous reports. The other patient, however, shows a pattern of symptoms so far undescribed: severe early infantile epileptic encephalopathy with reduced myelination. On mutation analysis this patient is the first to reveal a 39 base pair deletion in the adenylosuccinase gene in contrast to the point mutations detected in previous cases. Adenylosuccinase deficiency may be an underdiagnosed metabolic disorder with variable expression. This should be taken into consideration in patients with unclassified neurological conditions.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = metabolic disorder (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/113. Glutaric aciduria type II: observations in seven patients with neonatal- and late-onset disease.The clinical, biochemical, and neuroradiologic findings and clinical follow-up of seven patients with glutaric aciduria type II are reported. Three phenotypes of the disease are encountered: neonatal-onset form with congenital anomalies (two patients) or without congenital anomalies (three patients) and late-onset form (two patients). The neonatal-onset form presents as an overwhelming illness, with severe hypoglycemia and metabolic acidosis leading to rapid death. Frequently it is associated with perinatal energy deprivation, a neonate with low birth weight and prematurity. The late-onset form presents with intermittent episodes of vomiting, hypoglycemia, and acidosis especially after meals rich in fat and/or proteins. All parents are consanguineous and have a first- or second-degree relationship. Initially, in the two phenotypes with neonatal onset and during crisis in the late-onset phenotype, routine laboratory evaluation showed severe metabolic acidosis, with an increased anion gap, hypoglycemia without ketonuria, and disturbed liver function tests. In the majority of patients with neonatal-onset forms, the kidneys, liver, and at times the spleen are enlarged with an increased echogenic pattern; however, no hepatic or renal cysts are detected. cardiomegaly is observed in most patients. The diagnosis can be easily and rapidly reached through tandem mass spectrometry study of the blood and can further be confirmed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis of the urine organic acids. In this report, the magnetic resonance imaging/computed tomography brain studies showed brain atrophy, white matter disease, and in one patient, fluid-filled cavities in the periventricular area and putamina. fluorine-18-labeled 2-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomographic (FDG PET) brain studies in two patients with late-onset disease showed slightly decreased activity in the cerebral cortex in one and in the caudate nuclei in the other. brain FDG PET scan and magnetic resonance spectroscopy were normal in one patient with neonatal-onset disease. All patients were treated with a diet low in fat and protein, oral riboflavin, and carnitine. The results were promising for the late-onset disease. Intravenous carnitine gave rewarding results in one patient with neonatal-onset disease.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.00013335200037441keywords = brain (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/113. Secondary respiratory chain defect in a boy with long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-coa dehydrogenase deficiency: possible diagnostic pitfalls.We report on a boy who suffered from microcephaly, growth retardation, cardiomyopathy and hepatic dysfunction. When he had his first febrile infection at the age of 3 months he showed metabolic decompensation. Laboratory parameters and clinical features were compatible with a beta-oxidation defect or a respiratory chain disorder. Measurement of beta-oxidation enzymes showed long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl CoA dehydrogenase (LCHAD) deficiency; determination of respiratory chain complex activities revealed complete absence of complex I, II, III and IV activities in skeletal muscle and reduced activities of complexes II and IV in cultured fibroblasts, with secondary dysregulation of ATP synthase. The patient was found to be homozygous for the MTP:G1528 C mutation (LCHAD-deficiency). CONCLUSION: This patient had LCHAD deficiency as his primary metabolic disorder, leading to secondary inhibition of respiratory chain enzymes by 'toxic' metabolites.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = metabolic disorder (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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